


A King And A General

by Embarassedbutkinky



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: F/M, Forbidden Love, Friends to Lovers, Future Trunks Briefs Timeline, Kings & Queens, Pillow Talk, Post-Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 10:02:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20487092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Embarassedbutkinky/pseuds/Embarassedbutkinky
Summary: In the future timeline, Trunks has been working himself to death for the safety of the villagers who came to him for help after the Androids devasted the world. Mai is his number two, and she knows they're in love. If only his duty weren't in the way.Companion piece to Pillow Talk.





	A King And A General

**Author's Note:**

> This is a spin off companion piece to Pillow Talk. It follows PT canon, but PT is not necessary to understand it. All you have to know is that Trunks was appointed King of the remaining humans after he destroyed the Androids, and his village was built around the old Capsule Corp building.
> 
> This might be a one shot, I'm not sure. I love writing these two in a way I didn't expect, lol.

Mai was a light sleeper; she always had been, even before this second chance at life she'd been granted. She woke with the sunrise no matter how many heavy curtains she used to cover her paneless windows. She attempted to sleep a bit longer one cold morning, but she knew it was futile. She quickly gave up and just decided to start her day.

There was a washbasin in her room that she went to most mornings to bathe; rudimentary showers has been constructed in a building near the center of the village, but they were always crowded in the mornings. She preferred to try to take her showers at night to avoid the wait, and she refused to jump to the front of the line as people sometimes tried to persuade her to do.

After she'd shrugged on her usual warm clothing she headed toward the mess hall, waving at the few passers-by heading off to start their assigned jobs. The coffee they had was instant only, scavenged from local stores and strictly rationed to one cup per adult a day. It would last a few more months at least at that rate, but then they'd just be out of luck with no way to replenish the stock. 

The coffee ordinance was another rule people attempted to break for her that she insisted on following, taking Trunks' lead. The way he put it, the village looked to him as a role model, and taking advantage of that would be a betrayal of the trust they offered him. She respected that idea and followed it also. Mostly. She didn't tell him about the second packet of artificial creamer they slipped her sometimes. She grabbed an apple and slipped it into her pocket before she went on her way.

Next on her morning agenda was the nightly report from the village guards of The Watch. They worked in shifts, and their shifts did not end until Mai or Trunks came by to hear their personal reports. 

The village itself was set up close to the old Capsule Corp building, with shacks and community buildings stretching out in front of it, built nearly on top of each other to save space. Off to the south they had cleared away large swathes of land for farming, and just beyond that was the guard station near the gate. It took her longer to walk there than it would have on a direct path; she'd pause occasionally to talk to people already out in the early morning air. It was nearly harvest time, and they were all gearing up for it.

No one here had a 'job' in the strictest sense, people simply put shifts in doing what they knew how to do. Cooking, cleaning, farming, repairs; there was enough work for everyone to find. Their group was small enough to share almost all resources, and no one went hungry. There was a 'black market' among the people that was no secret at all. If you wanted a special meal you could barter for it from others who'd scavenged extra supplies from the surrounding ruins of the city. There wasn't a law against it. Guards were specially chosen by Trunks to serve the village, and all of them were expected to generally keep the peace. Any extreme circumstances were brought immediately to the King.

Mai sipped her coffee as she sauntered up to the six guards on duty, bidding them a quick good morning. They saluted, another thing that made Trunks uncomfortable but the people insisted upon, and quickly started their prepared report, eager to go to bed.

"All was quiet until just after 1AM, Ma'am," their spokesperson started. Wood was asked to come and document an illness at 1:13."

Mai frowned. "Who's ill?"

"The Casper's kid."

"The baby?"

"Yes, Ma'am. They reported a high temperature and a severe cough."

"Did anyone alert Bulma or the King?"

"No, Ma'am. It didn't seem dire."

"They both want reports on illness under the age of five. Especially with respiratory issues."

"Yes, Ma'am," he nodded. "Any further incidents will be reported immediately."

"Anything else last night?"

"Yes, around 2:30AM. We saw outsiders."

"Outsiders?" She asked. "Where?" 

He pointed off further to the south. "A group of three crested the hill and came up on us very slowly, and then left when they got a look at the gate. They returned an hour later and looked again. We had no contact."

She nodded. "Okay. Thank you. All of you can head home, just alert your replacements they're on duty."

They thanked her and headed back towards their homes. She stood at the gate of their ramshackle fence a few minutes, peering out as though she could still see others in the distance.

It was nearing nine in the morning when she finally made her way toward Capsule Corp. These days the old building was mainly storage space for food and weapons, or really any essentials they couldn't afford to lose to the elements. It was still recognizable as a house, and Bulma and her son still technically lived there, though they spent most of their time outside in the village. They used the generators in place to keep this building going to make sure the temperature regulation stayed on their food storage, but mostly used minimal lighting to cut down on electricity wastage. The Gravity Room, however, stayed on.

Mai let herself in the front door without pausing; they didn't keep it locked, but few people came in here without a reason. She headed straight for the Gravity Room and tapped once on the door, trying to mentally prepare herself for her daily torture.

There was a few seconds of silence before Trunks opened the door, having switched the gravity back to normal. He smiled at her the way he did every morning, and she fought to keep her eyes on his face. Trunks never trained with a shirt on, he said it just added to their laundry pile, leaving him in only athletic shorts that didn't leave much to the imagination. He never went out like this, only she and Bulma ever saw him underdressed. 

"Goodmo--" She silenced him by shoving the apple into his mouth. He paused, then smiled around it and took a bite. "Happy?"

"The whole thing. You don't eat breakfast often enough."

"Yes, Ma'am," he smirked, grabbing his towel from the floor and slinging it over his shoulder. He sauntered out of the Gravity Room, heading down the hall as she strode next to him. "Anything big last night?"

"A few things," she nodded. "There were strangers checking out the southern gate."

"Really?" He asked, drawing his eyebrows together. "Any contact?"

"No. They came twice and then left. Any on-sight orders?" They reached his room and she stood by the door, facing away as he washed up from his basin and started getting dressed. 

"No, it's too early to know," he called out to her. "They could be new settlers looking for stability. If they are I hope the guard post wasn't too intimidating. Let's see, Second Shift just went to bed… let's call a Watch Meeting at four this afternoon. That'll give them time to rest and First Shift can give any updates. How's harvest looking?"

"Looked okay as I passed, but I didn't stop to ask yet."

"Okay, that'll be our first stop today," he said, stepping out of his room and shrugging on a coat.

"No, first stop should be the Casper's."

Trunks frowned. "Is something wrong with Arelle?"

"Yes. Apparently she had a high enough fever for them to report the illness. Nasty cough, too."

He snorted, picking up his pace as he stalked out of the building. "And no one woke me?"

"I've already given the guards a friendly reminder this morning," she assured him.

"Well, I'll give them a less friendly one this afternoon," he grumbled. "We can't afford another childhood illness running through the village. We have to catch these symptoms as soon as possible."

She nodded in agreement, tucking her hands in her pockets as they made a beeline for the Casper's shack.

Trunks knocked on the small metal door and a short woman answered almost immediately. Penny Casper was a mousy woman; she'd lost a lot of healthy weight during the Time Of The Androids, and had never quite gained it all back. She held a fussing baby in her arms, and looked beyond harried and exhausted. She smiled with relief when she saw who was at the door.

"Good Morning, King," she said, stepping aside to let them in, "and to you, General. Cal said you'd probably be by early."

Trunks was almost too tall for this room; the Caspers were short and had built their dwelling for people their size. He hunched slightly and took a seat when offered it, leaning forward to look at the infant. "I hear Arelle had some trouble last night?"

Penny nodded, immediately setting her baby in Trunks' arms. Mai fought her urge to smile; she knew Trunks was capable, but sometimes the people here treated him as though he were some omnipotent being. Legal dispute? Call the King. Unsure what to plant when? Call the King. Illness in the family? Call the King and trust him to know exactly what the illness was and how to treat it. He was far from a doctor, but here was this woman handing off her baby as though he could heal her magically.

Penny fretted, sitting down next to him. "She started coughing a few days ago, but it got worse last night. She coughed up some phlegm, and she had a fever. She has a runny nose, too. It seems to have settled some this morning, she's not crying as much and she's slept a little."

Trunks nodded, lowering his ear against the baby's chest to listen. "She's wheezing a little. We should take her to Mom."

Penny nodded immediately, grabbing another blanket to wrap around the baby as she slipped her shoes on. Arelle fussed again in Trunks' arms and he shushed her quietly, patting her back as her mother got ready to go. Mai felt her cheeks flush again and she looked away, hoping neither of them would notice. She never felt as drawn to him as when his strong hands did something gently.

This, whatever 'this' was, had been going on for so long that she should be used to it by now, but she wasn't. It was like being on fire; to forever be close to what you want but know it was inaccessible. There was no adjusting to this pain.

Trunks had made his position perfectly clear, not with her but with the whole village. He was not interested in romantic relationships, because he was married to the job. Hell, he was already up before the sun to train, working all day to keep them safe and fed, and going to bed late. There just wasn't the time in a day, he'd explained, and he'd never let non-essentials divert him from the position he'd been trusted with. Plenty of the young women here had tried-- who could blame them -- but all had been turned away gently with a reminder that he would be awful companionship, and they'd be better off finding someone with the blessing of time.

If she was like them, it'd be different. She hadn't started helping him as a woman; she'd come as someone with experience fighting and surviving. It's not like there had been a 'General' position open, she'd only been given the title by the villagers after she'd gained respect for her dedication. They felt odd about addressing her as if she was a member of the 'royal family', but General seemed to fit well. What had grown between them since then had not been intentional, and had taken both of them by surprise when it reared its head and began to take shape.

Mai wasn't alone in this, and she took solace in that. She knew Trunks. Probably better than anyone except his mother. She heard his silences as loudly as his words, could interpret his mood by the flex of his long fingers. She knew how he ate, how he slept, that he pushed himself to his limits daily. She knew he saw his life, physically, mentally, and emotionally as a village commodity, spread out among the people until he had nothing left for himself.

She knew the way he smiled at her, differently from the others. The intimacies that she'd been given that even a top General should not receive. But it always ended at that smile. And it always would.

\-------------------

Bulma was not a doctor, but she'd gained a reputation around the village for being the expert on anything Trunks wasn't. As usual they found her tinkering in her lab, sipping her second cup of coffee, because try telling Bulma Briefs she was on a caffeine restriction. She was trying to reverse engineer an old sprinkler system for the crops and create her own improved version; nothing too challenging, but she liked to stay busy.

Bulma's greeting smile fell on her son as he led them into the lab. "Trunks, I had no idea. 'Bout time you made me a grandma."

Trunks rolled his eyes. Sometimes his youth showed when he talked to his mother, but Mai doubted others picked up on it. He was only twenty-four, playing the part of someone much older. "Just please take a look at Arelle, Mom."

Her smile faded as she took the baby, asking Penny her symptoms and shushing her softly. "I've only seen it a few times, but I think she might have Croup."

"Is that viral?" Trunks asked.

"Yes, but it's not that serious. Cold air and humidity helps. We can't test or anything, but if we let her breathe steam for a few days and it gets better we'll know. Can your family stay in our guest room for a few days, Penny? We can use my private bathroom and take shifts with her."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Penny said gratefully, inclining her head in a short bow. "That would be wonderful."

"I'd like reports every eight hours, more if there's any developments," Trunks muttered to Mai. She nodded, pulling out her battered old clipboard and jotting his request down on his schedule and remembering to add the meeting he was calling this afternoon next to it.

"We have to get to the fields," Trunks said in parting, trying to dodge Penny's drawn out goodbye. He thanked his mother and headed out toward the village.

Mai strode next to him, looking down her list. "You were going to ask about the aphids in the northernmost field today."

"Right," he nodded absently.

"And you left your apple in your pocket half eaten," she prodded.

"Right," he said, pulling the apple out and taking another bite.

"Also, you're smoking again and I can smell it."

"Hmm? What?"

She smirked. He did this sometimes, his mind would wander to affairs he'd have to deal with later. "You're not listening to me."

"I'm sorry. I was thinking about the strangers at the gate. How many men do we have to spare if this goes further?"

She grimaced. "Not many with the harvest. We can ask for volunteers, but they'd be working double shifts."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. And I swear I'll stop smoking tomorrow."

Mai stopped walking and he stopped with her. He sighed, shooting her a pleading look but giving up quickly. He pulled the pack from his coat and put it in her hand and she buried in her own pockets.

The reports from the fields looked okay. They asked for permission to officially start the harvest and Trunks gave it; food supplies were low and they needed all they could get. They took their usual lunch together in the square with a crowd around them. Bulma joined them today, having left Penny and her baby to rest in her bedroom. Trunks was laughing; one of her favorite sounds and not one she heard genuinely very often.

"I think you've gone senile, Mom," he chuckled. 

"I'm only fifty-four, thank you  _ very _ much," she cautioned him. "And I'm not crazy. This  _ happened _ ."

"Yes, Ma'am. A magic biker bunnyman turned you into a carrot."

Mai snorted. "Stranger things have happened, Trunks."

"Have they?"

"Trunks, your father was an actual alien. I've lead a life," Bulma insisted.

"Was Vegeta around during this… carrot thing?" Mai asked.

Bulma shook her head, smiling down at her bread and fruit. "Oh, no, he was long after that. He wouldn't have put up with that gang, either. He'd have destroyed the lot of them just to prove he could. Goku just sent them to the moon."

"Yep, she's lost it," Trunks decidedly with a grin.

Bulma tossed a grape at him and he just caught it and ate it.

"Mai, would you like my grapes?" Trunks asked, already moving to drop some onto her tray.

"Eat your fill," she insisted.

"They're your favorite," he insisted, moving them to her tray anyway.

She shrugged. "Okay. Thanks."

"Just don't choke again," he teased, standing up and gathering his things.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh my gods, you choke on one grape and you can't live it down around here. Should I come with you?"

"I'm going to try to fit one more hour in the Gravity Room before we pick our rounds back up. Why don't you take an hour off?"

"An hour off for what?" She asked skeptically.

"You should get a hobby, Mai."

"You're a full-time job," she laughed.

"I'm sure I am," he agreed. He stood there, still just smiling and looking down at her, just a bit too long. He snapped his eyes up and away from her suddenly, as if catching himself doing something he was trying to quit. "Uh, I'll catch you later Mom. General."

She nodded, letting the smile fade and turning back to pick grapes off of her tray. Bulma watched Trunks go, then sighed, pushing her tray away and crossing her arms. Mai looked up nervously, catching the annoyed look on the older woman's face.

"Something wrong, Ma'am?"

"This  _ can't _ be my job. Someone else should be able to do this."

"Sorry? What's your job?"

Bulma glanced around to make sure they were out of earshot of the others milling about. She leaned forward, looking thoroughly annoyed. "Fine. I'll do it. When the  _ hell _ are you going to fuck my son?"

Mai choked on her water, sputtering and coughing. Bulma waited for her to compose herself, drumming her fingers against her arm.

"Bulma, I don't know what rumors are circling, but Trunks and I would never--"

"There  _ are _ no rumors, that's the point," Bulma said. "It's getting ridiculous, Mai. I thought maybe Trunks was going slow at first to be a gentleman, and then I thought maybe you weren't interested because of the whole pseudo-age-gap thing. But here we are, three years later, and you guys still spend all day flirting. Yet I  _ never _ hear about anyone stumbling across you two making out in the fields or about you slipping off to your shack and coming back out with disheveled clothing. What gives?"

Mai was blushing. This didn't get talked about. Most people in the village would never even  _ ask  _ such a question, much less expect an answer, but Bulma was clearly waiting. "We don't… we don't  _ flirt _ ," she decided to go with. That was an argument she could make. "We just spend a lot of time together because of the job."

Bulma snorted. "Are you  _ kidding _ me? You're obsessed with each other. I don't think Trunks knows what  _ his _ favorite food is."

"It's steak and potatoes," Mai said too quickly.

"Mmmhm," Bulma said flatly. "Sure. Now seriously, I've already had this conversation with him, do I have to sit the two of you down in the same room and just lock you in?"

"You  _ talked _ to Trunks about…" she faltered, face burning.

"Oh, he was as stubborn as you," Bulma sighed. "At first. 'It's not like that, Mom, we just respect each other blah blah blah'. I kept asking and he finally said some bullshit about having no time, about not being able to stop if he took that step too far."

Mai gaped at her. "Trunks… Trunks said that?"

Bulma sighed, pushing her food to the side with her fork. "Look, Mai, you don't know how much time you have. We… Vegeta and I, we spent the first few years he lived on Earth bickering. We both wanted more but we kept our distance. When we finally ...  _ gods _ , it was great. We got Trunks out of it. We never really stopped having sex, but we only started to really connect just before he…" She set her fork down, not looking up. "Look, Mai, I'm just saying that you never know how long you have with someone you love. Don't waste it."

"I understand, Ma'am," she muttered, trying to imagine what it'd be like to have Trunks just not come home one day. It wasn't a future she wanted to imagine.

\----------------------------

"Describe the strangers," Trunks requested. He could do that, and she wasn't sure how. Now matter how straightforward an order sounded, he could make it feel like he was asking you to do him a favor. The guard in question nodded immediately, launching into a detailed description of the people he had seen overnight. They'd worn dark clothing, and kept their distance at first. When they returned they gotten closer.

"And what time did they come back today?" He asked the day shift.

"Just after one this afternoon, King," their spokesman said. "This time, they carried guns."

Trunks grimaced, rapping his fingers on the table in thought. The assembled Watch stayed quiet, awaiting instructions. "They're not settlers, then. They're casing our gate, counting our numbers."

"Do we shoot on sight?"

"No. I still want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but a cautious one. I want the reserve guards of The Watch taking shifts with our scopes and binoculars. If they appear with weapons holstered, they can approach with their hands up and I'll speak with them. If they approach with weapons drawn, shoot."

"Yes, Sir," the guards saluted in unison.

"In the meantime, I don't want us sitting on our hands," Trunks said. "I know we're mid harvest. I know that. Some of you are working twelve hour days to keep us protected on top of taking shifts in the field. So, I've decided to conduct a stakeout on the raiders tonight. Alone."

_ Like hell you are _ , she thought. She wouldn't say that in front of the men. Well, not exactly that. Either way it wasn't happening.

"I'm coming also, King Trunks," she informed him.

His mouth twitched up into a half-smile without looking at her. "I imagine I can't change your mind on that, General?"

"Respectfully no, My King. We can't afford to lose you, and you'd force anyone else here to take backup."

He nodded. "I expected as much. You're capable enough with a weapon to make up for a team of us. You should get some rest, then. I plan to leave a few hours after sunset so that any scouters close to the village won't see us. We'll follow their tracks and see what we can find. As for the rest of you," he said, turning to face the assembled men, "thank you. Thank you for putting in the hours to keep us all safe. We never would have known about these raiders if it wasn't for your dedication, and they would have taken us by surprise."

Mai watched the men thank their King, talking to him about issues small and big, from weather concerns to plans for the distant future. They trusted him, and she could see why. Sometimes she just wished he had the same faith in himself.

\------------------

Mai decided to take his advice, having her dinner before anyone else and retiring to her shack early in the evening. It felt like she had been asleep for only minutes when a knock sounded on her door, but the sun had set.

"It's me," he called. "I'll wait for you."

Mai slipped her clothing back on, bundling up against the crisp fall air. Her shack stayed fairly warm; Trunks had ordered the re-insulation of all homes just before the end of summer. They weren't pretty, the village used mainly mud and thick grass that would wash away when the rains came later, but they were prepared. Each of the hosues had a firebox in their place to keep them warm when the real cold came in a few months, and his orders to collect firewood in May meant no one would be cold at home.

She met Trunks at her door, holding her favorite rifle in her hands. He didn't carry a weapon; he didn't need them, she knew. Trunks was stronger than any human, probably strong enough to take on the raiders encroaching on their territory alone if he had to. Still, there was no telling how many of them there were, and she wasn't willing to take the chance of someone getting the drop on him while she did nothing.

"Ready?" He asked, giving her that look that she thought about in the middle of the night.

She nodded, falling into stride beside him.

The village was almost asleep, only candlelight illuminating the windows with a few groups sitting out to speak to each other before retiring to bed. Trunks stopped at the gate to speak to the guards on duty, assuring them they would be back before morning. They stepped out of the safety of their home and walked into the remains of the city that had once lived around them.

Trunks stopped to examine the tracks left hours before, nodding towards the southwest before heading down an empty street. She followed him, less used to tracking but able too an eye on the horizon for him.

"I suppose I'm keeping you from flying?" She teased quietly, keeping her voice low.

He smiled. "No. I would go on foot anyway. I doubt they can sense power levels, but it's always a possibility."

They fell into companionable silence, something they were good at. They'd walk together everyday anyway, and after a while they had gotten sick of trying to fill the empty spaces with idle chatter. The two were content to just exist in the same space, knowing that they didn't expect the other to entertain them. Sometimes Trunks turned on the charm, when he had to, to assure someone or sound like he knew what he was doing. With only her ears to hear him he didn't have to bother.

They'd hiked only a mile when Trunks touched her shoulder. She turned to watch him and he held up three fingers, closed his hand, then pointed at his ear.  _ There are three enemies. They don't know we're here. We'll watch without alerting them. _

She nodded, following him silently as he eased into the ruins of an old building sitting on a slope. The building had been constructed on a hill, overlooking the city park below them. There was a fire about one hundred yards down from them, and she could see a few men sitting around it.

"Our raiders?" She breathed.

He nodded. "I think so. Three of them. I can hear them."

"What are they saying?"

"They're talking about our crops. The big one thinks they should wait until we harvest them to attack."

Her eyes went wide. "Definitely not looking for peace, then."

He shook his head, settling in to sit against the wall as he listened. "Watch my back? They're changing topic a lot, I want to gather more information on them in case they are to haggle with us to get in the gate."

She agreed, setting her rifle along a good surface as she took aim at them, willing to shoot if they went for their weapons. About an hour passed like this, just poised to attack if necessary and keeping very quiet so Trunks could eavesdrop on the raiders.

That was when the soft snore hit her ears. She looked over at him, surprised to find the King slumped over, asleep against the wall. She smiled, keeping a close bead on the raiders and letting him rest.

The night wore on, and after a while the raiders went to sleep. There would be no attack tonight, they probably wanted one more day to check the weapons at the gate in the daylight. She let herself relax a little, watching them without her weapon and stealing a few guilty minutes to stare at Trunks while he slept.

He was out for maybe an hour before he jumped awake. He looked around and realized where he was, eyes going wide as he turned to her.

"What happened? Did I get knocked out?" He whispered.

"No. You just fell asleep."

"I fell  _ asleep _ ?" Trunks balked. "In the middle of a stakeout? I'm so sorry, Mai, I--"

"Don't be sorry," she said, handing him a canteen from her belt. "I was awake. We didn't miss anything."

"Stupid,  _ stupid _ ," he muttered angrily to himself, getting up to stretch. "I can't believe I… why didn't you wake me up?"

"Because you needed sleep."

"I know when I need sleep, Mai. Just wake me next time," he grumbled, striding over to her.

"No."

He blinked. Straight 'no's were not something the young King was used to hearing, even from her. She talked and she convinced and she pestered, but she didn't just say 'no'. "Can I ask  _ why _ ?"

"You say you'd know if you needed sleep, but clearly you don't. Did you rest at all before we came out here?"

"I was talking to the Caspers about their baby. It was important."

"It was  _ handled _ , but you chose to complicate it. You're human, Trunks--"

"No, I'm not."

She sighed, getting angry. "Half-Human, anyway. You still need to eat, sleep, and live, and I won't just watch you torture yourself."

He matched her annoyed tone. "Where is all of this even coming from? I do what you ask; I eat meals, I smoke less, I do whatever you tell me. What more do you  _ want _ from me?"

She took a breath as if to answer. He waited, staring at her a long moment. The answer didn't come to her lips. It fell halfway between them into the pit of 'never-to-be' with all of the other moments like this they'd ever shared.

He sighed. Neither of them had to say it out loud, but he knew what she wanted, what he couldn't afford to give her. "I'm sorry. I'm just mad at myself for falling asleep at my post. It's not your responsibility to keep me alert."

It happened pretty quickly, in retrospect, but in her sudden movement she felt three years of coiled, striking action. She shot up to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and catching his lips in a fierce kiss all in one movement. She felt him freeze, his first reaction being what she always knew it would be. In a minute she knew he'd push her away gently, try to let her down easy, remind her that his refusal had nothing to do with her. She clung to him for a long moment, unsure when it would end and wanting to memorize the taste of his mouth, the feeling of his body pressed against hers. That would be enough, she decided. Now she would know what it felt like, and that could sustain her through another three years.

His hand come up her head, but instead of pulling her away she felt his fingers tangle in her hair. A deep grunt sounded in his throat, and suddenly he was kissing her back. His other arm wrapped around her almost too tightly, trapping her against him. She could feel his heart beat faster as they wrapped around each other, hands starting to roam and getting more desperate as the floodgates opened, need rushing to the surface and stoking their frenzied embrace.

Trunks moaned into her mouth, almost a whimper, and then she was pressed back against the wall. Her legs came up around his waist, hand tightening on his thick coat as she felt the blood rushing to her face. His lips met hers again and again, pausing only for ragged breaths. His fingers slid up the back of her shirt, behind her coat, meeting bare skin and shaking as they tightened against her.

There was a burst of light, a crumbling sound, and she felt the wall behind her giving way. He held her in place anyway, and when she opened her eyes she saw his hair had flashed to golden blonde. She rarely saw this; he only powered up to train nowadays. He'd destroyed the short building completely, the remains of his burst of energy still crackling in the air. They parted, gasping for air as he blinked, staring at her silently. 

"Mai," he breathed. No explanation, just her name, dropped between them like a challenge.

She struggled, a thousand things to say prepared but nothing coming to the surface. "Trunks," she landed on, "do you want me?"

He took a breath, starting to speak but being cut off by the bullet that grazed his shoulder.

"Fuck!" He snapped, dropping her legs carefully but quickly as he brought energy into his hands to shoot at the raiders. She followed his lead, grabbing her gun and taking cover beneath the ruins of their hiding spot.

"I see only two gunmen," she said, peering out into the night. "Nine and ten o'clock. We must have woken them."

"I see the other one behind that truck," he said, pointing across the way. "I think he's the one that clipped me."

"How's the wound?"

"I'll live," he muttered. "I deserved it. I gave away our position."

She felt cold, much colder than the night should have made her. He hadn't blamed her; wouldn't, she knew, but the implication was the same. This was what happened when Trunks let his guard down, even for a minute. He'd tested the waters, more than he'd ever allowed before, and the consequences hit immediately. He wouldn't let it happen again.

She opened fire, shooting angrily into the night at the enemies she could handle.

\----------------------

It was early morning when they arrived back in the village. Trunks gave a quick report to the guard; the raiders were taken care of. They were speaking to each other, but not the way she wanted to.

"We should call a Watch Meeting first thing at daybreak. Our three could have had friends. We might have scared them off, but we can't be sure," Trunks said.

"Okay," she said flatly. She'd write it down later. All she wanted to do right now was crawl into her bed and erase the last few hours. He seemed willing to forget it ever happened, so she would just drop it too. Then tomorrow they'd start their game again as if his hands hadn't touched her skin, as if their lips hadn't met again and again, as if they didn't want more. She wiped at her eyes.

"Feeling okay, General?" He asked.

"Fine," she said steadily, turning down the short alley to her home without looking at him. "I'll see you in a few hours, King Trunks."

She knew he didn't move, but she didn't look back. She made it to her shack and shut the door behind her, covering her hot face as tears threatened to fall. They were back to General and King, then. Fuck. She just wanted to go to bed.

Mai shrugged off her clothing, not even bothering to light any of the candles or lamps in her shack. She wiped her face with her towel, finally lying down in only her tank top and underwear. The blankets were cold, and she knew it would be a long time before they warmed up.

There was a knock at her door. 

She frowned. Who would knock now? Had the Casper's baby taken a turn for the worse? Bulma would be notified first, surely, as they were staying so close to her. Mai debated just ignoring the sound and pretending to be asleep already.

"It's me."

Trunks' voice was a shock to her system. She crawled out of her bed and opened the door, unsure what was happening.

Trunks strode in past her, not even bothering to ask permission to enter. He would never do such a thing with any of the villagers, but as they both knew, she was no random citizen. His hands were in his hair, pain drawn across his expression as he paced back and forth across her floor.

Mai shut the door, still confused but unwilling to let the cold in. "Trunks, what are you--"

"I'm trying to--" he paused, "I don't know how to do this. Anyone else I'd just let it drop and deny… Mai, you know it's not you, right? You know this rule I have is about me?"

She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "Please, King, it's been a very long night. Let's just rest and meet in the morning--"

"Please don't call me that."

She looked at him. "What?"

"Don't call me 'King' as if we're associates and not… us. I tried. I tried thinking of you as only my General and it didn't work. I couldn't even make it home, I can't stand leaving things like this."

"I don't know what you  _ want _ , Trunks," she said, crossing her arms. She gathered her courage, tightening her fist. "It's your damn rule that keeps us apart."

"I want…" he struggled. "I want you to know that if I had the time for  _ anybody _ , it'd be you."

"It doesn't really make a difference in the long run. The only consolation prize here is that I get to spend all day with you just… wishing."

Trunks rubbed the back of his head. "There was something else, something you asked that I've got to answer."

"What?"

He took her step forward and her heart skipped a beat. They stood very close, close enough that she could feel his body heat.

"You asked if I want you," he said, eyes roaming down over her as if he'd just noticed how little she was wearing. "Mai, I  _ always _ want you. Every fucking second of every fucking day."

Even in the dim light she could see the tense flex of his hand, trying not to reach out and touch her. Mai felt her body get warmer, responding immediately to his words.

"What are you afraid of, Trunks?"

"You saw what happened when I let my guard down."

She reached up to touch the small wound on his shoulder they had bandaged. "It was a bad time. We could be… more careful."

He was shaking. "I used to think maybe we could handle one night together, but now I know we couldn't. If we… I'd never be able to stop. Once won't do it for me. I can't stop thinking about that kiss."

She let her fingers trail down his chest and he shuddered. "You're a person, Trunks. If you don't take care of yourself, you can't take care of everyone else. You have to eat, you have to sleep…" her hand wandered lower and met his hard member, making him gasp slightly. " And you have other needs."

He gulped. "Mai… I'm sorry, I just--"

"How much time do you spend thinking about me?"

His eyes turned dark. "It's constant. When my mind wanders, it's never about the village. I'm always thinking of you."

"Then you already lose time," she argued. "As long as your mind is on me it's not on our work."

"You think we should see each other less?" He asked, a bit sadly.

"No," she said simply. She rubbed the heel of her hand against him and his arms wrapped around her, face dropping against her neck as he breathed heavily. "I think that if we just took some time to--"

Her back hit her mattress, and it took her a moment to realize he'd thrown her there. For a split second she thought he was casting away temptation, but the look on his face quelled those fears as he quickly dragged himself over her. His lips met hers again, a hand sliding under her to meld her against him. Her hands slid up his shirt immediately, mapping out the planes of his body that she'd memorized by sight only before now. Her thin clothing was no match for his trained hands, and they tore from her frame like tissue paper.

His mouth tore down her body feverishly. He suppressed a lot of Siayan appetites nowadays; he ate little, he fought even less. He kissed her skin like she was made of all of it, of everything he never let himself indulge in. "Mai," he breathed, " please."

She didn't need convincing. She was tugging off his coat and shirt, and he leaned back to let her. He started undoing his belt but got distracted watching her, diving again to catch her pert nipple in his mouth. She paused, hands roaming over his shoulders as she fought a whimper. He thrust against her through his rough pants, and she could feel him hard and throbbing below.

Enough was enough, she'd been waiting far too long. She pushed him back, and for a moment Trunks looked at her like maybe she was asking him to stop. She gave him a small encouraging smile, undoing his pants and sliding them down his thighs enough to grab him through his straining boxers. Trunks shut his eyes, mouth dropping open as she stroked him. 

"Take them off," she whispered.

He nodded, hopping up to throw off the rest of his clothes before he was on her again, kissing her deeply while their bare skin slid against each other for the first time. His mouth traveled to her ear, his breath ragged as he guided his dripping tip to her wet entrance.

"I love you, Mai," he whispered.

"I--" she started, the words dying on her lips as he slowly pushed himself inside of her.

She wasn't a virgin, technically, but the last time she'd been touched was before this life. The few companions she'd had time for while working for the Emperor had been nice, she supposed. They'd taken her to dinners and parties, she'd even dated a few, but nothing could compare. He pressed his forehead against hers, eyes locking with hers briefly before he slowly started to move.

Mai moaned softly, pulling her blankets up to cover them from the cold. His arms shook, eyes closing as he lost himself inside of her. She pushed his lavender hair back from his face to see him better, running her fingers down his cheek.

"Mai, you feel so…" he trailed off, making a sound deep in his throat. "How do I make it good for you?"

She couldn't stop her breathless laughter. "It already feels good."

He seemed unconvinced, sliding his hand between them to touch her while he stretched her open. She let out a shout, head going back against the pillow.

"Trunks, harder."

He hitched her thighs up higher, using his knees to pound into her faster and deeper. His loud groan mirrored hers, face buried in her neck as they revelled in each other's bodies.

She could feel the coil tightening, pleasure mounting as she cried out his name. He growled against her neck and she felt his whole body tense, arms locking on either side of her head as he reached his peak.

He eased himself off of her gently, rolling to the side and panting as he tried to gather himself. Mai slid her hand over his chest, laying her head against his shoulder as he pulled her close to him.

"I should…" he mumbled sleepily, eyes closed. "I should get to my room before I fall asleep."

She didn't answer, knowing him well enough to know that he was half gone already. Trunks was out in minutes, his body heat keeping her warm. She smiled, letting herself fall into the deepest sleep she'd had in years.

\-----------------

Mai didn't know how long she was asleep, but when she opened her eyes her shack was lighter than she was used to seeing it. She could hear the sounds of the village outside her door, operating well without them.

Trunks was still passed out, and she knew she had a decision to make. He'd be appalled to know he'd slept so late, he was always up early to train and do his rounds. If she woke him he'd get up in a panic, rushing to get to work and maybe regretting letting himself sleep here with her. 

She carefully slipped out of bed, and he didn't stir. Her clothes from the night before were shredded, and she had to grab underclothes before she threw her makeshift uniform and coat back on. She opened her door silently so it wouldn't creak, and almost walked straight into a guard about to knock on her door.

The guard jumped back, saluting as she stepped out and closed the door behind her. "Can I help you, Wood?"

"Ma'am, we were just a bit concerned by the late hour."

"What time is it?"

"Nearly noon, Ma'am."

Her eyebrows went up. "Oh. Were the guards able to change shift?"

"Uh, yes General. When the normal hour passed we just gave our reports to the First Shift and switched for the day."

She nodded. "Well done. Any reports from the night?"

"Nothing new, Ma'am," he said, looking a little nervously at her door.

"Something wrong, Wood?"

He cleared his throat. "Well, um, General… the King is missing, also. We were concerned, and we asked around a bit to see if anyone had seen him this morning…" he said, gesturing to her neighbor's shack. "The Preals mentioned that they thought they heard the King's voice nearby early this morning coming from your home."

Mai put on her best official face. "Yes, the King spent the night here. He's not missing."

"Oh," Wood said, not meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry, General, we didn't want to pry. Is the King ill at all?"

"No, he's just taking a rest," she assured him. "We'll be here if there are any emergencies. If no one is in danger, we'll deal with minor disputes and harvest reports tomorrow."

"Yes, General," he saluted politely, heading back towards the gates to call off the search for the King.

Mai walked through the village boldly, heading to grab their lunches. There were a few more glances her way than usual, and she heard a few whispers that sounded suspiciously like  _ 'King'  _ under people's breath. She didn't feel embarrassed; the whispers didn't sound disapproving, just a bit scandalous and shocked. Rumors spread like wildfire here, and she knew it would be only hours before everyone in the village thought they knew what was happening behind closed doors.

She brought their lunches back to her shack and found Trunks still fast asleep. She still didn't wake him, deciding that if he was sleeping so long he must need it. She pulled out some paperwork she'd been meaning to work on, just organization for when they tallied their crops at the end of the season. She ate casually, just listening to his slow breathing.

It was nearly two hours later when she finally heard her bed creak as he stirred, a hand coming up to rub against his face. He yawned, then she saw him freeze. His eyes popped open and he sat up, looking around her room in confusion.

"I…  _ fuck _ !" He swore, quickly climbing out of bed to search for his clothes. "What time is it, Mai?"

"About two," she said casually, not getting up.

"Shit! We're so behind! Why didn't you wake me up? We have to get to the farms first, that should be the top priority. We should check on Arelle, then head north to--"

"No," Mai said simply, crossing her arms.

"Huh? Mai, we're late--"

"You're taking the day off."

He stared at her. "What? Mai, I don't have time for--"

"Why does everyone else in this village get a day off once a week and you never take any time for yourself?"

"I have responsibilities, Mai."

"The village is fine. You slept until two, and nothing burned down. I got the report from the gate, there's nothing going on. I know your schedule, I fucking wrote it. There is nothing on it that can't wait until tomorrow. Now," she announced, tapping the tray near her with his sandwich, "get over here and eat."

He blinked at her, mouth hanging open, and for a moment she thought he might be angry. A slow smile slid over his face as he strode over to sit at the table, still in just his boxers. "Am I a prisoner here, now?"

"Not all the time," she smirked at him. "Just… promise me one day every few weeks you'll do this. Just rest and eat and think about your needs."

He shrugged, popping a few pieces of fruit into his mouth. "It'd be easier to argue if that nap wasn't so great.  _ Gods _ , it's been years since I slept that long. I should wait until dark to leave anyway so no one sees me leaving your shack."

She snorted. "Uh, a little late for that. They came looking for you."

He paled. "What did you tell them?"

She frowned a bit. "The truth. That you slept here and you didn't need to be disturbed. Are you really that afraid of people knowing you spent the night with me?"

"It's not about me, Mai," he shrugged. "I was thinking about you."

"Me? You think I'm  _ embarrassed  _ to have you here?"

"It's just… you are an excellent General, and you got your job by being the best. Your combat skills, your attention to detail, I couldn't do this job without you, Mai. I don't want anyone thinking you got your power because we were…"

She laughed. "These aren't strangers, Trunks. They know us, and they know our history. Besides, I don't care what they think anyway."

He slid his hand over her knee under the table. "If we… if we do this, how do we balance it?"

"You do want to keep this going, then?" She asked sheepishly, not meeting his eye.

He laughed, sliding his hand up her leg as he leaned across the table to kiss her. "Mai, the way I feel about you is the only thing in my life I've ever been completely sure about." His smile faltered and she felt his hand twitch. "I'm just not sure if I trust myself to… moderate. I want you all the time, and if I know it's an option, how do I stop?"

She cast a look around the room, settling on the bed. "We'll make a rule."

"A rule?"

She took his hand and led him over to the bed, sitting him down on it. She crawled into his lap and he pulled her in closer, already getting hard as he slid his fingers up her back. She kissed him once, leaning back to smile.

"Out there," she said, nodding to the door, "you're King Trunks, and I'm in your Number Two. We do the job, we keep things running, and we have no problem belonging to the people. Because we know, when the sun sets, we come in here. Here, we're ourselves. In our bed at night,  _ every _ night, we belong only to each other. You only have to wait out the sun. Can you do that?" 

His eyes raked hungrily over her body as he pulled her clothes off. "Yes. But not today. I need you."

She kissed him again, pushing him back onto her bed where he landed with a grin. "Deal. And I love you too, My King."


End file.
